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‘The two-degree global warming limit becomes next to impossible if Paris gives shipping a free pass’: Transport & Environment

The reinsertion of international aviation and shipping emissions into the draft Paris agreement for next month’s crucial United Nations climate change talks has been welcomed by sustainable transport group Transport & Environment (T&E) after it was dropped from the text issued by the talks’ co-chairs on October 5. However, the draft’s language needs to be considerably strengthened if it is to help curb the two sectors’ growing climate impact, T&E said.

Bill Hemmings, clean shipping and aviation manager at T&E, said: “International aviation and shipping emissions are the elephants in the room for the UNFCCC. The Paris Agreement must send a clear signal – not a passing reference – to the UN bodies regulating these emissions, ICAO and IMO, that time is up and action is now due. The two-degree global warming limit becomes next to impossible if Paris gives these sectors a free pass.”

Hemmings concluded: “The latest text is the result of developed and developing countries cooperating on this issue for the first time. There is real hope now that Paris will close these gaping loopholes.”

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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